1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a patient support table utilized when a target such as the circulatory organs of a patient is radiographed with an X-ray camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional patient support table uses a lead screw and nut assembly as shown in FIG. 1 for moving a table top 17 in a vertical direction.
The table top 17 is supported by a support pole 15 secured to the nut 13, and driven directionally by turning the lead screw 11 with a drive motor 19. Usually, the support pole 15 is almost the same length as the lead screw 11. Then, both the minimum and maximum heights of the table top are restricted by the length of a lead screw, so that it is impossible to reduce the minimum height or increase the maximum height.
Therefore, this conventional patient support table has the disadvantage that there is insufficient space for a camera unit.
Another conventional patient support table utilized for an X-ray CT device or a MRI device is equipped with a multi-stage link system as shown in FIG. 2. As shown in the figure, the links 31 are secured with a pin joint 33 at one end and constrained with a slider 35 at the other end which requires considerble space in the longitudinal direction of the table.
Therefore, as the link system requires a large amount of space, insufficient space remains to handle an X-ray camera unit. Because of this disadvantage, the link system is not utilized with an X-ray camera unit for radiographing a target such as the circulatory organs of a patient.